S.O.T.D.  Thursday, 3 July, 2014.

First attempt of sotd - F.Malle En passant - fresh and breezy, nice prominent lilac, very natural smelling, the scent has kind of an aquatic vibe but I don't smell any typical synthetic aquatic notes, guess the combo of accords creates such feeling.
Onto the *fun* fact about it - obviously something in it irritated me, I sneezed like a hundred times in a row...never happened to me with any other scent before...had to wash it of, unfortunately, because I liked it..

Re: S.O.T.D.  Thursday, 3 July, 2014.

Morning everyone! How funny, it looks like Japan (Katsumi) gets up before everyone, and then the Balkans (Vernona and me), and then....the rest of the world? It's nice to be the early risers. But I kind of feel like the first one out on the dance floor, you know?

I'm wearing Chypre Mousse from a sample today. Twolf, congratulations on that huuuuuge milestone, you must be feeling GREAT!!! As well you should - impressive achievement.

God, it is so wonderful to be back in our friendly little community over here on the female fragrance discussion board. I missed you all.

Mike darling - have a great trip, and we will miss you. In case you are checking in on us, The only perfume I bought in France was Safran Troublant. I was nowhere near Paris, unfortunately. But I was in the land of the fairytale castles, the Loire Valley.....twas gorgeous.

By the way, Sandalwood freaks amongst us (Mike and Rynegne) please weigh in - I bought a little vial of vintage Body Shop Woody Sandalwood oil recently, having read a recommendation for it on that epic BN sandalwood thread, and is it normal to find it.....rather fecal in tone??? It's kind of dark and gloomy smelling, although beautifully creamy too. But it does have that fecal note, and I find it quite offputting. Remind me, does real sandalwood smell like that or is my vial off?

Rynegne - You are welcome in Montenegro anytime! Mind you, if you ever come to Europe, Montenegro should be the last place on your itinerary By the way, bloody STC does not deliver to Montenegro so I am going to have to figure out some way to get your perfumes shipped to me - I will ask my boss, who is in DC. She hates perfume, so she will probably agree to do it only if I pay for HazMat gloves, heh heh.

About Montecristo, Rynegne......well, hmmm. I've tested it, along with Tango, and personally my preferences run to Tango by a long mile. Tango is rich and sexy, Montecristo is, well.....has your girlfriend smelled it yet? I don't know. It doesn't read as dirty or animalic to me so much as it reads burned wenge wood, sulphur, and claustrophobic leather. It smells very similar to Hard Leather Extract by Laurent Mazzone. Have you tried that? Read Kafkaeqsque's views on both - her view is that Montecristo is similar to Hard Leather, but that Hard Leather is better quality. I dislike them both intensely, so I can't say one is better than the other (degrees of badness abound) but I do agree with her that they are on a similar track. But do try Tango if you can! It's really, really SEXY.

Last edited by ClaireV; 3rd July 2014 at 08:43 AM.

There is no exquisite beauty without some strangeness in the proportion.
― Edgar Allan Poe

Re: S.O.T.D.  Thursday, 3 July, 2014.

Good morning everyone! It's very early...I just woke up and thought I'd pop in before going back to bed.

Congratulations to Twolf on reaching 10K posts!

Daughter had a good time at orientation and is looking forward to starting college.

My neck is a lot less stiff, nearly normal since the accident. I stopped in at the auto body repair shop to empty the trunk and sign papers, and the damaged body panels had already been partially removed to determine the extent of the anticipated repairs. So far the insurance company has approved about $10.5K of work to be done. The adjuster said that if repairs exceed about $13.5 they will consider the car a total loss. I really hope that won't be the case, but we'll see.

Re: S.O.T.D.  Thursday, 3 July, 2014.

from samples

Have I told you about the scent of jasmine? Have I spoken about the smell of the sea? The earth is scented. And I perfume myself to enhance what I am. That's why I can not wear a perfume that bothers me. Perfuming is an instinctive wisdom. And like all art, it requires some knowledge of yourself..."
Clarice Lispector ( 1920-1977) - Perfumes da Terra / Earth Perfumes

Re: S.O.T.D.  Thursday, 3 July, 2014.

Morning all, & big congrats to Twolf on your amazing milestone!

Mike; have a great trip, & if you're reading this, take a look at last weekend's SOTD threads to find out what happened to Mr teardrop.

We're off to the hospital shortly for his appointment. l'm wearing Aloha Tiare again, layered over Korres' Coconut body lotion, recommended to me by the lovely Vernona in a recent thread. To me it smells more of almonds than coconut, but as is usual for Korres, it's a gorgeously rich & high quality product. Thanks for the rec, Vernona! l also have a bottle of Mountain Ocean Coconut Skin Trip on it's way to me, as l managed to find a UK seller on Amazon. Can't wait to try that one!

​​"What is this secret connection between the soul, and sea, clouds and perfumes? The soul itself appears to be sea, cloud and perfume..." - from Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis.

Teardrop, goodluck at the hospital, everything will be just fine, don't worry!

I'm so glad you liked Korres coconut, and you're right, it does smell more of almonds but it's nice!
Maybe, I should've mentioned before so you don't go through too much trouble finding the Mountain Ocean lotion, but there are 2 US based online shops, that carry different "healthy" and natural brands - iHerb and Vitacost. They stock this lotion at a very affordable price and they offer worldwide shipping at around 4$ per order. The service is great and fast an I order from them a lot!

And another suggestion, in case you want a crazy amount of body lotions (like me) - Roger&Gallet Bois d'Orange Or sublime body cream, smells great, slightly citrusy but creamy all around, wonderfully softened by coconut and vanilla. It's got some shimmer in it tough but if that's not an issue (it's a plus if you ask me ) then you must test it. I think you should find it easily!

Re: S.O.T.D.  Thursday, 3 July, 2014.

Good morning everyone Today I leave for The Karlsψyfestival and will be gone until sunday or monday. Feeling a littlebit nervous since I know my ex will be there. ( last year ended in drama, fighting and tears :/ ) Well, feeling a bit more confident this year. Sotd is Feminite du bois. For the festival I brought a small bottle of Infusion d'iris and decants of Cuir de russie and Musc koublai khan. It's camping in tents after all, so decided some skank is in order Congratulations to Twolf and have a great day all

Re: S.O.T.D.  Thursday, 3 July, 2014.

Thank you bunches. That picture of a lemming makes me grin from one ear to another, and on a loving advice from JR, I am giving in to a little beast: Chanel Bwah dez Eel in extrait form (yes, a LE for Oriental Markets during Ramadan! *LOL*) will be all used up today and ordered again.

My friend cacio has reached 9,000 posts, it is an impressive achievement.

Have a nice day, all! We also have a birthday to celebrate, right? Happy Birthday to Furriner, a Chicago hero from the recent meetup.

Re: S.O.T.D.  Thursday, 3 July, 2014.

Kewart, would that you were our Convertible Waving Lady. I've shaken my first at that broad Atlantic Ocean many a time now for coming between me and my BN neighbors.

Betsy, your story about Vol de Nuit reads like wishful fiction. We're all so tickled by it. Interesting that you and Twolf (10,000 posts! Whoo-hoo!) both catch Shalimar and Mitsouko in VdN.

Wolfie, I feel the same way about the bennies of BN: You ALL inspire me to be a better person than my usual cranky and skeptical self 

Good catch on the birthday notice, too. Yes, best wishes to Furriner always.

Originally Posted by ClaireV

It's nice to be the early risers. But I kind of feel like the first one out on the dance floor, you know?

I love the way you express your funny thoughts.

Claire, youre astute to assign CW Lady a Tom Ford frag. I think Chanel Exclusivs sort of connotes the price range I imagine she can afford.

I believe your theory, Mocha, about happy convertible people. I've seen our CWL drive by on a Saturday morning (we're near the interstate onramp for Milwaukee), so I picture her as having worked long hours to buy this thrill-ride car. I like that she doesn't mind the wind in her hair. But convertible travel must blast off any perfume, so I wonder about how one must always have decants in the purse.

Dear Mr. Teardrop, you have a lot of well-wishers continuing to be concerned about you all the way over here on the other side of that obstructionist pond.

30Roses, I admire your focusing on the this too shall pass philosophy. I try to do that with only spotty success.Heck of a description for that Montecristo, rynegne. Cestrum, do follow through on that gladiator skirt for your BF (with photos to come).

I put Mitsouko on the back of hands last night and have been rewarded with only the right notes coming through ever since. Most often there's a bitterness I attribute to my skin chemistry which I have to try to block from my attention when I wear M. But she was only sweet since I applied her last night, so I'm going to carry on with her through housekeeping duties today.

In a world where 6 million people are added each month, every landscape matters.

Re: S.O.T.D.  Thursday, 3 July, 2014.

Un Air D'Amour Monsieur by Maison Dorin

Remember that while it is perfectly acceptable to criticize the content of a post - criticizing the poster is not.
Mean spirited, nasty, snide, sarcastic, hateful, and rude individuals on Basenotes don't warrant or deserve other individuals' acknowledgement or respect.

Re: S.O.T.D.  Thursday, 3 July, 2014.

Thanks Q. I posted a lengthier description on the men's thread. Wearing Montecristo again today while waiting to get my emissions test. Naturally, there is a huge line after seeing there was no wait online. It's been that kind of week for me...oh well. At least I'm offwork until Monday. I may go fishing today as I just printed my license. I haven't gone in some time, I miss it.

About 5 years ago in college an ex and I were Romans for Halloween...me being a gladiator and here being a princess. Unfortunately I have no pictures remaining to share.

Hope everyone has a great day. It looks beautiful outside here in the Midwest!

Re: S.O.T.D.  Thursday, 3 July, 2014.

Mike wishing you a fantastic trip with many wonderful and affirming tales to tell when you return - Hope you have some great sniffing and score a fragrance deal or two while you're at it.

Continued wishes for good news from Teardrop and 30 Roses, and Vernona, have you considered the possibility you might be slightly allergic to lilac? I have several friends who are, much to their disappointment, as it's a fantastic scent, in my opinion. Hope that's not what caused your sneezing!

ineespenes, good luck at the festival. Deep breathing and positive self-talk may be on the agenda, but you're fabulous, and deserve to have a wonderful time!

For me today: Still beastly hot and humid here, so I broke out my green and glossy Marc Jacobs Ivy Splash. I find it dark and cool despite many notes I consider to be warming - I expect it's the mint in the "candy cane accord" (who knew?). In any event, it's hitting the spot today.

They're holding Boston's Fourth of July (US Independence Day) celebrations *today* - a day early -- due to the approach of Hurricane Arthur. I'm used to rain delays but moving a big scheduled event *up*? Not so much. Still, it'll be great to have the music and fireworks at all, rather than risk a complete rain out.

Its thought that people who hope too much will just waste their life away and never get down to doing any real work. Theyre confusing Hope with Wish, its lazy cousin... When Wish whispers, Something is just around the corner, what comes or not is never what was wished for. When Hope whispers Something is just around the corner, something always is. -- Charlie Elberson

My sale thread has some of my underappreciated fragrances looking for a good, new home...

Re: S.O.T.D.  Thursday, 3 July, 2014.

Mike wishing you a fantastic trip with many wonderful and affirming tales to tell when you return - Hope you have some great sniffing and score a fragrance deal or two while you're at it.

Continued wishes for good news from Teardrop and 30 Roses, and Vernona, have you considered the possibility you might be slightly allergic to lilac? I have several friends who are, much to their disappointment, as it's a fantastic scent, in my opinion. Hope that's not what caused your sneezing!

ineespenes, good luck at the festival. Deep breathing and positive self-talk may be on the agenda, but you're fabulous, and deserve to have a wonderful time!

For me today: Still beastly hot and humid here, so I broke out my green and glossy Marc Jacobs Ivy Splash. I find it dark and cool despite many notes I consider to be warming - I expect it's the mint in the "candy cane accord" (who knew?). In any event, it's hitting the spot today.

They're holding Boston's Fourth of July (US Independence Day) celebrations *today* - a day early -- due to the approach of Hurricane Arthur. I'm used to rain delays but moving a big scheduled event *up*? Not so much. Still, it'll be great to have the music and fireworks at all, rather than risk a complete rain out.

Hi dear, don't know whether I'm allergic or not, anything's possible I guess, I just never ever had an allergic reaction to anything before...I'm gonna try it tomorrow again to see if it happens again..Hope not cos I like the smell of lilac!

Re: S.O.T.D.  Thursday, 3 July, 2014.

It is Jo Malone Silk Blossom for me today. There are days (95 degrees and humid) when uncomplicated simple scents are the best. Notes are white pepper opening, silk blossom, and moss on the dry down.

TWOLF many good wishes and congratulations on your 10000 posts.

Katsumi you are doing an amazing job with the cartoons/pictures etc. Thank you so much.

30Roses some how I missed your post about the accident and had to go back and read it. So glad everything turned out okay for you and your family. It sounds like just a horrible freak accident. That driver should not be on the road.

Re: S.O.T.D.  Thursday, 3 July, 2014.

Claire, I missed your post. Now I must seek Tango! And hopefully your boss wouldn't mind doing that for you.

I've never smelled a sandalwood that had a fecal tone to it. Mostly it smells like freshly cut wood to my nose. Mysore is more dry like sanded wood that turns creamy while drying down. The others I've used smell a little more green to me: Vanuatu and Australian. New Caledonian sits somewhere in the middle of the two. Never fecal for me...but...to be fair I've never tried stuff that's been aged for a long time and that is a big factor because the aroma will change over time with sandalwoods, vetivers and patchouli. So for all I know, 50 year old sandalwood could smell like Dior Leather Oud :-)

Re: S.O.T.D.  Thursday, 3 July, 2014.

Good afternoon all !.

Wolfie, sometimes I think you know me better than I know myself . You are an inspiration - no matter what life throws in your direction you are always there for others, resilient, loyal, warm-hearted and witty. I offer my hearty congratulations for your amazing 10K but also give thanks for your presence here whether as a mod, contributor, or the valued friend you have become to so many of us.(Did I mention that we adore you ? )

Teardrop, fingers crossed for a positive outcome at the hospital

V&R Antidote.

Mike, travel safely and enjoy your trip to Orlando.

Mocha, I am with you on Montecristo - the descriptions I have read sound like my idea of olfactory hell. Respect to those brave enough

Re: S.O.T.D.  Thursday, 3 July, 2014.

Good afternoon to all.

I'm sampling today. Actually, I'm re-sampling. And it's Le Labo. Poor Le Labo -- it's a house that seems so unpopular on Basenotes and fragrance blogs. But I like many of their fragrances myself. This morning I re-tested Santal 33. Now it's Labdanum 18, which I think of as a more modern Shalimar. All good for me.

Rynegne and cestrum nocturnum I enjoyed so much reading your reactions yesterday to Masque Milano Montecristo. I actually enjoy animalic, but I more as an accent, or part of the bouquet, than as a main theme. However, I love how different people's tastes are, and I love reading what others think. Perhaps my years of carpooling boys to and from various athletic practices have spoiled skank for me. You haven't experienced skank till you've driven an SUV full of hockey players and their equipment bags.

30 Roses, I'm so sympathetic. Since December we've had two cars at the body shop after being hit by careless drivers, and then one of the two had to have its engine rebuilt after being swamped in a flash flood. I'm such a frequent customer, I guess, that the body shop sent me a card. Fingers crossed your car can be fixed. I'm glad your neck is getting better at least.

Teardrop, good luck to your husband today!

Twolf, I can't imagine I've written over 200 posts. I'm in awe of your 10,000. Here's to many more.

Quarry, I will confess to you, if you never tell anyone, that I hate being a passenger in the convertible. It's not the wind effect on the perfume, actually -- it's what it does to the hair. If you remember to bring a hat you get hat head, or else you forget a hat and your hair ends up like a fright wig from Halloween. Plus my husband's convertible has a sports suspension and he drives like guest on Top Gear, so I tend to get slung around and feel sickish riding in it. Shhhh, though. It's our secret.

Did I mention the rap music he and the kids like to play? Honestly, riding in that car is like walking into Abercrombie & Fitch -- an assault on the senses.

Re: S.O.T.D.  Thursday, 3 July, 2014.

Originally Posted by Mocha

.................................Quarry, I will confess to you, if you never tell anyone, that I hate being a passenger in the convertible. It's not the wind effect on the perfume, actually -- it's what it does to the hair. If you remember to bring a hat you get hat head, or else you forget a hat and your hair ends up like a fright wig from Halloween. Plus my husband's convertible has a sports suspension and he drives like guest on Top Gear, so I tend to get slung around and feel sickish riding in it. Shhhh, though. It's our secret.

Did I mention the rap music he and the kids like to play? Honestly, riding in that car is like walking into Abercrombie & Fitch -- an assault on the senses.

But he loves it. And it makes him happy.

Mocha, I am with you! I think the convertible lovers of the world must all have straight hair, or be bald... But during a bout with broken A/C in the car, my daughters and I resorted to headscarfs, and found those worked well. After unwrapping, the hair was always in about the same arrangement as it was upon getting in the car, and it kept all the hairs from blowing into our face and mouth and eyes. So if someone offers you a ride in an open car, bring a headscarf!

Re: S.O.T.D.  Thursday, 3 July, 2014.

Thanks so much for all the kind thoughts for Mr teardrop, everyone! He had an echocardiogram today, (a heart ultrasound, for anyone who might not know) which showed that his heart is slightly enlarged, probably due to his hypertension. lt's in full working order though, thankfully! The lovely lady doctor couldn't do enough to reassure us, & she's made adjustments to his meds to hopefully get his blood pressure under control. He's been told to avoid caffeine, & l already bought him some decaff which he's getting used to. We were in the hospital around four hours on this hot sunny day; there was a lot of waiting around, but it was worth it as he seems more relaxed now. His blood pressure reading is normal & he's napping on the sofa as l type. He has to have a 24-hour ECG later this month, (a little box to wear containing a mini heart monitor to check what his heart does over the course of a day), but my feeling is that controlling his blood pressure is the real issue. Hopefully that's possible now as he's got better at keeping himself hydrated & knows he needs to lose some weight.

Re: S.O.T.D.  Thursday, 3 July, 2014.

Mocha, my college roommate played hockey. Their gear isn't musk, animalic or even sweaty...it's straight up funk! Worse than any wrestling or baseball locker room I've ever been in. I hated watching him play away games mostly because of the ride back.

Re: S.O.T.D.  Thursday, 3 July, 2014.

Oh, JR, Ibitira is indeed my favorite Xerjoff (almost wrote "Jerkoff", almost). I always wonder why do we -- you and I -- think so much alike, even using similar paradigms and words to express out thoughts?

Mocha and Robin, I am with you about the convertibles. I am also with Katsumi about scarves (spitting my tea all over the screen).

Juji, you put a smile on my face too with the phonetic spelling of No.22. .